Eternal Flames of the Phoenix
by TwilightMoon416
Summary: NEW & IMPROVED FROM QUIZILLA! "I guess...no matter how many times you're reborn, no matter how many lives you live or how many things you learn -- life is a labyrinth, and you're the mouse hoping not to meet a cat around the corner." KURAMAxOC
1. Chapter One: Flame

_**Hello all, **_

_**This is an old fic I had written on my Quizilla! Account, but was unable to write anymore to it due to Quizilla!'s change as well as my dislike for how it was going too quickly. So, with inspiration from re-watching the Yu Yu Hakusho series and the help of some friends as well as one favorite fanfiction writer of mine, I decided to give the story another try and as a stress reliever. **_

_**Thank you xXWinterWindXx for your advice! Her fanfiction for Yu Yu Hakusho titled **__**Angel's Cry**__**, a pairing with the amazing Kurama with an OC that is extremely intriguing, her fanfiction is a work of art. If you've been on Quizilla!, you most likely have read the first making of the story titled **__**Stay by my Side**__**. If you liked that one, this story – a remake with more information and detail—will surely blow you away. It is also posted on her Quizilla! Account, if you don't have one on here.**_

_**Go read **__**Angel's Cry**__** people – it's amazing, you can find it under my favorites as well. **_

_**I'd also like to thank my friend Kristina, a fellow writer of mine – and a partner, for pushing me to continue writing when I was about to give up – thank you, you're amazing. **_

_**And so, this chapter is dedicated to you as well as the story. Please – kick me in the head if I don't finish it. Ha, ha! **_

_**And now, with nothing further, please enjoy the remake of Eternal Flames of the Phoenix that was first released on Quizilla! by my penname Twilight-Moon. **_

_**And of course…**_

_**Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi and the companies that both have turned it into an anime and manga -- not me. I do not own information about the mythological creatures in my story. I do, however, own the characters and any adaptations I have made myself – do not plagiarize, and if you do, enjoy not being creative or intelligent enough to make your own idea – you are a robot.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

_**Please review -- they make me happy.  
**_

**Chapter One: Flame**

"What the hell does Koenma want now?" Yusuke said, scratching his head. "Hell, I'm not a Spirit Detective anymore, why is he making me come here?"

"And I have to feed my kittens," Kuwabara whined. His cat had gotten older, giving birth to a litter just recently.

Botan frowned and said, "Don't take this out on me! Whatever Koenma does, he must have a good enough reason!"

"Yeah, like what?" Hiei said, his eyebrow twitching from annoyance.

"Yusuke, let's just hear him out," Kurama reasoned. "It must be quite important if he has called us back to Spirit World, he must have no other choice."

Botan nodded quickly. "He said it was urgent and that you boys might be interested in it, it _has_ been a year, after all."

They were walking down the hallway, passing desks of rushing ogres. They moved around them and through them, holding stacks of papers and files. One of them dropped a large stack and quickly started gathering the fallen papers.

When the guys and Botan turned down the hall to Koenma's office, the blue ogre Jorge was waiting outside, his face forgetting the frown of stress and allowing a smile of relief to settle upon his features.

"There you are!" he shouted, bounding towards the group with the cloth around his waist moving with him. "Koenma is really busy these days, seems things are not peaceful, after all."

"Yes, I heard." Botan nodded. "He called for Yusuke's old team; I came with the boys as soon as I could."

"Ogre, are they here yet?" Koenma shouted.

"Coming, sir!" Quickly, Jorge opened the doors and Botan, with the three demons and human, entered the room.

"This better be something good, Koenma!" Yusuke shouted. "Otherwise, I'm going to have to shove that binky down your throat!"

"Easy, Yusuke," Kurama soothed, a nervous smile adorning his face. "Please be cautious of how you speak here, save for Kuwabara, we demons are not very welcome."

Koenma sat at his desk, the surface surprisingly cleared of paperwork to reveal the brown colored paint, seeming bright by the surrounding blue tiled walls.

"I called you all in here because I've heard news, you all may be interested."

"What?" Kuwabara asked his confusion evident on his face.

"There's going to be a new tournament, I was wondering if you four would like to enter."

"A tournament…? What for – demons?"

"Not quite, Yusuke. It's a tournament that is held every thousand years called The Flame Battles, many powerful S and A class demons are invited, their rules are similar to that of the Dark Tournament – there is just a requirement to enter."

"Hell, yeah! A tournament? Count me in!" Yusuke shouted, energy blazing in his eyes.

"Seems intriguing," Kurama considered. "What is the requirement, Koenma?"

"The Flame Battles are a series of fights just like the Dark Tournament but are run like that of the Demon World Tournament, but the requirement is that you must have a certain fifth fighter or otherwise."

"What do you mean?" Yusuke asked, crossing his arms.

"I've heard of this tournament…The Flame Battles, it is the telling of both the union and rage between two mythological and legendary creatures known as the dragon and the phoenix."

Koenma pressed a switch and the television-like screen he had slide down from the ceiling. When it flashed to live, paintings of dragons and phoenixes were shown either twining together in what seemed like harmony – working as one. And then others, of them twirling around one another, looked to be filled with such rage and passion to tear the other apart – fangs pearly white or sickening yellow and beaks that seemed to be made of gold or of the orange/red metal of a burning blade.

The last photograph the boys had seen seemed to be a seal of something -- the tail of the dragon and the long tail feathers of the phoenix seemed to be twined together, making a sort of flame marking – the beasts' faces were facing each other. The eyes were colored red and could be taken for passion – the passion of love or the passion of hate; it was in the eye of the beholder.

"That is the seal of The Flame Battles, if you get a letter soon from them, you will be seeing this," Koenma informed.

"Dragons and phoenixes…it sounds like a fairytale, if you ask me." Kuwabara placed his hand on his chin, imagining flaming birds and angry reptiles.

"That's because you're a child and a fool," Hiei said, closing his eyes and ignoring Kuwabara's angry arm movements and snarls.

"So, we need to have a dragon or a phoenix on our team?" Yusuke questioned, and then he grew annoyed. "We have a semi-dragon, Hiei can summon the Darkness Flame, isn't that good enough?"

"It may pass you through the first stages, but it'd be best if you had a _real_ dragon or phoenix that you can actually speak to – you'll be fighting them, Yusuke." Koenma told Jorge to get Ayame.

When the pale, black haired woman walked in, her dark kimono swishing with her movements, she handed Koenma a file. "The one you asked for, sir."

"Ah, yes. Thank you, Ayame," he said, taking the manila folder.

The woman disappeared in a blue light, leaving the group to themselves as Koenma opened the file.

"I highly recommend bringing a phoenix," Koenma said, not looking up from the file and its contents. He pressed a switch and pictures of paintings, carvings, and artifacts created by ancient civilizations were all of one thing – the phoenix. Even the constellation of the phoenix Koenma showed, along with the drawing mapped over using the stars as a guide.

Koenma even pulled up the Marvel character known as Phoenix which made Hiei make an annoyed sound and mumble under his breath.

"Why a phoenix?" Kuwabara asked, leaning forward in wonder, curious as to what was in the folder.

"A phoenix is a vessel for knowledge, an excellent ally to have in battles such as these," Kurama explained. "They tend to be woman, in Chinese culture it is believed that the phoenix represents The Empress while the dragon represents The Emperor. This, however, is a sort of yin and yang – which is why this battle is also about unity. The beliefs point to their most likely gender, though sometimes, the phoenix or dragon can choose to be male or female – the males show themselves more so in the cases of phoenixes, that is the reason they are seen to be mostly male. The females tend to hide their true forms."

"Isn't the phoenix that bird that dies and comes back from the ashes?" Kuwabara's brow furrowed.

"Indeed, every five hundred to one thousand years, the phoenix dies and is reborn, it dies by its own sacred fire, the only fire that can kill it," Kurama said, smiling from Kuwabara's curiosity. "They have existed since the creation of everything, therefore, their intelligence is something to worship and some have done just that – they are sacred creatures. It is believed that they even helped in the creation the worlds that exist today and even the ones that no longer do, and even so, they will never give anyone the secrets of that topic – it's forbidden. Some believe they are the incarnation of gods such as the Egyptian god Ra, et cetera."

"How the hell do you know all that?" Yusuke raised a brow. "You read some books or something?"

Koenma shouted from finding something, interrupting the investigation into Kurama's knowledge. He wore a smile, but it quickly turned to a frown when his pacifier almost had fallen.

He regained himself and shouted in excitement, "The last sighting of a phoenix was in eastern North America!"

"Do they know how to fight?" Yusuke asked, earning an annoyed look from Kuwabara. "What, it's a tournament!"

"I believe they do, though, they concentrate more on knowledge than fighting," Koenma explained.

"So, we will have a half useless fighter like Kuwabara," Hiei said, turning to lean against a wall.

"I'll show you useless," Kuwabara rolled up his sleeve.

"Try me," Hiei pressed with a smirk.

"Pu will have a new friend," Yusuke snickered.

"Enough from you three," Koenma sighed. "None of you have changed much, have you?"

"You were saying, Koenma," Kurama sighed.

"Yes, as I was saying, there was a phoenix sighting in eastern North America, it seemed to fade in the Chicago area, it most likely has hid among humans and it will be especially hard to find."

"How will we know if we found the damn bird or not?" Yusuke asked with an attitude that made Koenma's eyes narrow.

"There are certain signs: one is by the eyes, if you are able to get close enough which I doubt you will, it is said that flames dance in their eyes.

"Phoenixes are creatures of beauty as well as knowledge, so just think an abnormally handsome man or beautiful girl – perfect entirely.

"Another sign would be the color of their nails, they will always be gold or a certain color that is associated with a phoenix – reds, purples, oranges and yellows, et cetera," Koenma explained. "Think of the claws of a bird for instance."

"If the phoenix is a girl, haven't you heard the latest invention known as nail polish?" Yusuke made an annoyed face, this making Koenma growl in his chest. "And if the guy is girly, it might cause problems!"

"Of course, you dolt! That's why there's another way to tell! Don't you think I've thought of that? Why the hell do you think I've done all this research _for_?"

"Yusuke," Botan sighed, rubbing her temple.

Koenma settled back into his chair, fixing his hat and pacifier. "Now, as I was saying, there's another way to find out if someone is a phoenix."

"Which is?" Hiei questioned, his crimson eyes staring into Koenma's form.

"You must be cautious, because if a phoenix is angry, it can melt your bodies from the inside out so quickly you'd be dead and not know it. A way to see them is to injure them, make a deep enough wound to bleed – the wound will steam and hiss, as if being cauterized, then it will close. It will seem to be burning, which is exactly what it does, or so says the myth."

"Phoenixes have internal flames that can never be put out, just like dragons who breathe fire. It heals them rather quickly," Kurama added. "It _is_ a good mechanism for healing, makes sense."

"But has never been proven, no one has come forth, anyway. If they did manage to wound or touch the creature, they didn't live long enough to inform Spirit World," Koenma said, a vein slightly pulsing from the revealed skin of his forehead.

Kuwabara gulped at the thought of his bones turning to liquid, his flesh melting off the muscles and tissue. Hiei smirked from Kuwabara's thoughts, as well as the challenge.

"Correct, Kurama – as always," Koenma praised. "You must find this phoenix."

"And how do you say we _get_ to North America?" Yusuke growled. "I can't afford frequent flyer miles."

Botan giggled then, making everyone shift their attention. Smiling, her oar appeared in her hand.

"Botan, Pilot of the River Styx, at your service."

Koenma nodded and said then, "And when you find it, bring it to Sprit World. And don't worry; phoenixes speak every language known to man and demon. The tournament date is set to be released soon, I will inform you of it as soon as I receive word."


	2. Chapter Two: Club

_**Hello all, **_

_**Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi and the companies that both have turned it into an anime and manga -- not me. I do not own information about the mythological creatures in my story. I do, however, own the characters and any adaptations I have made myself – do not plagiarize, and if you do, enjoy not being creative or intelligent enough to make your own idea – you are a robot.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

Chapter Two: Club

When the boys had left the office, they took the old steps back to the exit, a portal awaited them there. It had been many years since they had been here, their lives turning to semi-normal – except for Hiei, who had chose to remain in the Demon Realm.

It had been a year since a ruler of the Demon World had been named, a year since Yusuke had returned to Keiko, a year since they had been together in a situation involving demons – it seemed surreal to them, as well as to everyone. There had been peace, but of course, everyone knows peace is never eternal, is never a promise.

"It's strange, is it not?" Kurama questioned, his eyes taking in the high ceiling and paint. "It has been a while."

"I never thought I'd set foot in this place ever again," Yusuke said in wonder, placing his hands behind his head. "I was getting used to normal."

"Hn. Like you were ever _normal_," Hiei scoffed.

Yusuke grinned, looking down at the fire demon.

"You know," Kuwabara started, "at least we have the team back, all together again! Let's kick some ass!"

"Isn't someone always kicking yours?" Hiei questioned.

"Shut it, Hiei!" Kuwabara stormed. "I've gotten stronger, just you wait and see!"

"Something troubles me," Kurama stared ahead, his emerald eyes glazed over in thought.

"What is it," Yusuke asked, his brown eyes wondering.

"It is best not to explain here." Kurama smiled. "I will tell you once we return home."

"This seems like a dream, I feel like a Spirit Detective again."

"You might as well be, if Koenma is sneaking around into asking you to enter the tournament!" a bubbly voice said from behind the half demon.

Yusuke shouted in surprise since he was so engrossed in his thoughts.

"Botan! Where'd _you_ go off to?" Yusuke pointed at the blue haired girl. "And what do you mean, '_sneaking around_'?"

"I shouldn't even have to tell you why, you should know this, Yusuke Urameshi." Botan looked pointedly at Yusuke. "I was expecting more than that from you."

"Hey, hey! Give me a break; it's been a while since I've had to deal with this demon and Spirit World stuff!"

The girl pulled out her oar so she could sit and float beside her old friends, her eyes closed in concentration on not smacking Yusuke over the head. "Koenma's father is away on business again, and you're the only ones strong enough that can enter this tournament – King Yama would not approve.

"This tournament doesn't just have demons and humans, other creatures you could only dream of enter this tournament – most of them being thousands of years old. Luckily, you have Kurama and Hiei, and you yourself have trained as a demon. But Yusuke, you need that phoenix on your team, no matter what you have to do – otherwise, you might as well just not even set foot on that island, in that world."

"World?"

"There's only one place this tournament is held, it is group of islands. Like the tournament you held, Yusuke, the battles must take places on a separate island due to the power the contestants like yourself have. Otherwise, there'd be no spectators or contestants – the whole thing would just be a massacre. The islands exist in a borderline world between Spirit World and Demon World, it is sealed mostly due to the fact that it is in a direct link to the world where such creatures like dragons, phoenixes, elves, et cetera come from," Botan explained.

"So what you're saying is, not only do we have a huge basement of Demon World and even more areas of Spirit World, we also have a _whole bunch of worlds that have things that can melt us and eat us_?" Yusuke's voice turned grave, imagining the vast amount of fairytale creatures he grew up, and thought were stupid, jumping out of the book and eating him alive.

"Yep," Botan said cheerfully. "Isn't it cool?"

"Are you insane?" Yusuke shouted, raking his fingers through his gelled hair so much it came undone and stuck out in different places. "First it was Sensui and his redemption crap, then this thing with Old Man Raizen and his suicide, then this! When do I get a break?!"

"There are no breaks for Yusuke Urameshi!" Botan giggled, zooming to the large exit doors.

"Hey, get back here!"

After going through the portal, they decided to all go to Kurama's apartment, one he had been given by his stepfather since he now worked at times for him. The apartment was plain except for Shiori's motherly touch – he was considering moving back in with his mother, although he was having trouble deciding whether or not to intrude on her new life.

"All right, Kurama – tell us what's going on in that fox head of yours," Yusuke order, falling down onto the gray couch with a huff.

Kurama pulled out a dining room chair, sitting with his legs crossed and fingers entwined on his lap.

Kuwabara sat on the couch beside Yusuke, his eyes looking irritated towards Hiei, who had taken his place on the windowsill.

Botan sat on the armrest of the couch, smiling at Yusuke's pissed off posture that seemed to tremble every now and then from the excitement of a new tournament.

"Well, from what I have heard, Spirit World had captured every phoenix as well as dragon and placed them in a sort of prison – it makes me wonder if bringing an actual phoenix to Koenma would be similar to bringing a stray dog to the pound. The dragon that Hiei's Dragon of the Darkness Flame is locked away in the pits of Spirit World, such as how the phoenix race used to be," Kurama said, placing his chin on his folded hands, resting his elbows on his knee.

"That's true, now that I think of it. Spirit World was forced to release them," Botan stated.

"Why?" Kuwabara leaned towards her.

"The phoenixes grew very angry towards King Yama and the dragons they were imprisoned with, and while he was away, Koenma had no choice but to set them free. King Yama was enraged for quite some time, the phoenix race is like Spirit World's history books and dragons could be Spirit World's and Human World destruction – they know the creation of the worlds and secrets anyone can only imagine!" Botan nodded along with her story, her ponytail sliding over the back of her pink kimono. "Lord Koenma and King Yama have different views on these creatures – Koenma thinks they should be able to do as the please, they're elders. Yama believes they should work for Spirit World and help keep it and Human World running correctly. If a demon employed a phoenix or dragon, that demon's enemies better be scared. They'd be foolish not to be."

"So what you're saying is, these fire birds and firebreaking reptiles were locked away in Spirit World and it's dangerous to bring one back because Yama might make us put them in a bird cage or aquarium," Yusuke stated simply. "That's just stupid."

"Yeah, how could King Yama lock them away like that?" Kuwabara shouted in outrage.

"Phoenixes are also very rare, almost extinct! It's very hard to come by one, it's said to bring luck or curses if you see one," Botan said, leaning towards Yusuke in excitement, forcing him to back away.

"And having one as a teammate? We're probably screwed!" Kuwabara stood up.

"Shut up and sit down, moron," Hiei growled.

Three Weeks Later

Location: New York City

In a night club, there sat two guys of young age, checking out the girls of the New York City nightclub that past them by.

"Man, she is one hot girl," said the twenty year old to his friend, another male the same age. "I'd like to take her to my dorm room."

He stared at a young girl with red hair and green eyes; the crimson color of her hair ablaze in the golden light of the nightclub, eyes sparkling and daring for someone to approach her.

"Psh," said the friend, turning his face away. "I heard she's a player." He then went on about the girl's lack of ability to satisfy a man's needs in the bedroom.

"Not with me, I can teach her a thing or two," the man with roaming eyes replied, watching the girl sit at a bar. "She'd enjoy it."

"Wait, looks like she brought a friend! Wow…I wouldn't want to go with that, that's scary looking!"

"Let's look for another girl to party with, not one that hangs out with bum drunks."

"Hey, they can be fun."

"True…let's go hang with them then."


	3. Chapter Three: Drink

_**Hello all, **_

_**Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi and the companies that both have turned it into an anime and manga -- not me. I do not own information about the mythological creatures in my story. I do, however, own the characters and any adaptations I have made myself – do not plagiarize, and if you do, enjoy not being creative or intelligent enough to make your own idea – you are a robot.**_

_**As for the main character, I've changed her personality and everything else completely, just in case some old readers from Quizilla! followed me onto here. **_

_**Thank you to my twin Reina for reviewing all of my chapters! Love ya, sis. **_

_**This story is dedicated to Kristina. **_

_**Enjoy!**_

_**Edited chapter.**_

**Chapter Three: Drink**

The Next Morning

The alarm clock buzzed annoyingly over and over again, after every slam of the snooze button, even after the last time she threw it across the room. It hit the wall but it sadly didn't break as Kyoko hoped it would.

The sound died after a few minutes but she was forced to wake up…thanks to the tenants upstairs with their crazy four children that think it is fun to start breaking things – against the damn floors.

Kyoko's head was pounding like someone beating against a drum; she rolled off her bed and literally crawled to her dresser. She slammed the side of her fist into the wood until a bottle of aspirin fell to the gray carpet.

Sick, sick, sick! Damn hangovers!

After a few minutes, Kyoko picked up the aspirin and went to her small kitchen of white tiles, getting a glass of water and taking the aspirin…well, let's leave the amount of pills to history, it wouldn't work with just two pills anyway.

Messing up her already massive scrunched up hair that was permanent and natural…for her, anyway. Nope, didn't have to do anything with it. She didn't even care to make it look nice. It was messy and frizzy, just the thing to get eyes to pass over her and not linger on my form.

The headache was subsiding already, lucky for her. Kyoko walked into the bathroom and did the normal routine, leaving the small room with dry and yet still scrunched up hair. She felt refreshed, and even more so when she reached for the Sam Adams Beer bottle left over in her living room.

_Oh Sir Adams, how I love you so_, Kyoko praised.

She threw herself onto the couch and took a swig, watching the news for a few minutes.

After that got tremendously boring, she went upstairs and put on a huge, black t-shirt and form-fitting jeans that were cut up and ripped on the legs to reveal her olive skin. Kyoko's black ankle socks and bra were already on from last night so she was too lazy to change it.

Kyoko was looking inside of her jewelry box and put on some random necklaces to accompany her normal tear drop necklace with an orange stone resting between her breasts, and her silver bracelet with a big orange stone which Kyoko partnered with some random bracelets as well.

Earrings weren't really her normal thing.

The radio was on and blasting Ke$ha's "Tik Tok."

_Oh Ke$ha, how the heck did you manage to keep that hair in the video, hair so much like mine, seem tamed – kind of, _Kyoko's random thought popped into her head.

Kyoko put on her black converse sneakers that were very beaten up, she still loved them.

After running her hand and messing up her hair some more, she looked in the mirror. Kyoko's wild hair was a red shade. No, not red like the one you see as a stop light. The red of her hair was a dark auburn red. Yep, that was it!

Her eyes are yellow. Yes, they are yellow – freaky or cool? Guess it's in the eye of the beholder. Whatever. And as mentioned before, her skin is olive toned.

_My, don't I look like a beach bum – not. _

Grabbing her keys, Kyoko left the house.

But then she ran back inside and finished the last few drops of her Sam Adams. And then ran back out again.

_I am **such** an alcoholic_. Kyoko grinned.

She made it back to the club that night, seeing Lee at the bar with her bright red hair and green eyes sparkling. She sat in her tight red dress, her long, pale legs crossed.

"Kyoko, where did you go last night with those guys?" she asked, her eyebrows rose.

"What guys?"

"You know! The guys that came over and started flirting with us!"

"You mean the guys that were flirting with _you_ and thinking they could get some sort of sexual favor out of _me_."

She looked a bit guilty, poor Lee. "Sorry, Kyo."

"Don't worry about it, Leelee," Kyoko soothed, sensing her guilt.

"But what happened? Did you do it?"

Kyoko ignored the question and asked for a Sam Adams from the bartender.

"Kyoko!"

"What do you think, Lee?" she grinned at her.

Her face became horrified. "You didn't…!"

"Of course, I didn't! What do you take me for? I may love my beer and booze, but I'm not a hooker." Kyoko sighed, enjoying the feel of the cool and wet bottle in her hand. She slid it to her left hand across the bar, not spilling a drop.

"What happened, then?" Lee asked.

"They had to leave, it was fine." _Well, I kind of made them leave after grabbing the perverted eyes one and twisting his family jewels. He was lucky I didn't rip them off completely, _Kyoko answered mentally.

I was just glad to get them away from Lee, a girl like her shouldn't be talking to people like that. Well, her attire always said otherwise.

"They just left?" she asked, seeming confused. "They seemed a bit too riled up to just leave."

"Well, they did." _Psh, after I almost turned them into women or rather just sexless creatures. But she can't know that._

"You still haven't taken my beauty advice, huh?"

"Nope," Kyoko said, popping her lips. "I don't want to look pretty." That was the truth she told everyone. Kyoko knew she had to be gorgeous, she just didn't want to be.

"You'd look prettier than any supermodel if you just showed off your amazing looks!" Lee tried to convince her. Kyoko guessed she didn't want the guys just focusing on her.

Kyoko didn't want a relationship or any of that, though.

"Neh, I like my bum look." Kyo reached over and picked her teeth with a straw.

Kyoko stared at Lee's flaming red hair that was straight and perfect, just like every other girl's in New York. Well, here in this place.

Lee was a student of NYU…New York University. Bright girl, and not shy at all. She seemed to get lonely at times because no one seemed to want to take her seriously in a relationship. Even if they did, they were intimidated by her knowledge and left her anyway. Or maybe she just had horrible tastes in men or rather boys.

As Kyoko told her every night. "You're only twenty three, you'll find someone or they'll find you when the time is right."

"I know," she said, sighing and hanging her head. "I'm just always watching everyone date and I'm always the third wheel."

"Then don't allow yourself to be, that's kind of your fault if you keep making yourself stick with dating people. Try to meet single people."

"You're the only one I know that is single, Kyo."

Kyoko stared at her through the corner of her eye. _Poor thing._ "You'll find someone."

After a few minutes of silence and under the beating lights that seemed to trail over Kyoko's skin and clothing like roaming hands, Lee asked her a question that Kyoko wasn't prepared for.

"Have you ever been in love?"

She almost chocked on her beer.

She sat there waiting for an answer, calm and patience surrounding her like an aura.

"No, I haven't." Or rather…she just didn't remember.


	4. Chapter Four: Track

_**Hello all, **_

_**Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi and the companies that both have turned it into an anime and manga -- not me. I do not own information about the mythological creatures in my story. I do, however, own the characters and any adaptations I have made myself – do not plagiarize, and if you do, enjoy not being creative or intelligent enough to make your own idea – you are a robot.**_

_**All right, to the anonymous reviewer named "me" who left me a long review about their opinion of my story.**_

_**First off, as for the point-of-view, I was not planning to continue writing in a third person due to the fact I don't find myself good enough to use it quite yet. Now, I'm guessing I'm going to have to. I can thank you for pointing that out.**_

_**As for any extra information about Kyoko's character, I'm not going to just throw everything I have planned in one chapter. There's a reason why you don't get any background, as says the last line, "she just didn't remember." There's a story behind that, it ties into the whole storyline. If you finished reading, you may have seen the last three to four words which are a major HINT which I hope you saw. I'm sorry that I disappointed you, but if I'm not giving something, there's a reason for it. You won't be finding out Kyoko's information in the first few chapters unless I was writing something doomed to become tedious so early in its existence. **_

_**For the Mary Sue, I don't believe she is at all - I was getting to that, but apparently, I'm supposed to give out all information within a few paragraphs according to your review -- but that is something I can't do. As for what your review told me, you probably won't even read my explanation but that's your choice.**_

_**Now, for the "vanity." If you have read the first few chapters, you would see that a phoenix is a sacred creature and close to a god. Most gods are vain, like the Greek god Zeus who thought he could lay down any woman he wanted due to his godly status. It's not an appealing quality, but I don't write stories with "perfect" characters anymore. **_

_**Sure, you can think that the chapter was about "nothing," but that's your opinion. **_

_**And as for the last few words of your review, "other than that" you're just going to have to wait and see, if you so choose to.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

Chapter Four: Track

Kyoko didn't remember any other life before this one, she didn't remember anything. She just knew what she had to know, the knowledge had never left but her memories had disappeared altogether.

There could only be one reason for that and it made Kyoko's blood boil.

"Are you pulling my leg here? You speak as if you have or are much older!" Lee poked Kyo's arm. "What's your deal, Kyo?"

Kyoko turned around and smiled, noticing her bum-like reflection smiling back at her from behind Lee's shoulder. Her white teeth were perfect, her face hidden by her wild hair. "I'm the same age as you, I just know what I have to know." It was the truth. Well, half of it was the truth.

Some guys sat at the end of the bar behind her, she could sense something about them. Using her peripheral vision, she studied them.

One guy had slicked back black hair, his features Japanese – just like his two red-head friends. Well, orange and red, anyway.

They seemed to be looking at Lee, the most gorgeous girl in the club. She blushed and turned around to face the bar.

The guys didn't leave until Lee did. She had to study for an exam in the morning for her last few classes. Giving a quick hug, Lee smiled and walked out of the place. After a few minutes, the guys answered a cell phone and followed her exit.

Kyoko's eyes narrowed, feeling the sense of power surrounding them. Her nose itched, smelling inhuman scents coming from two of them. One smelled very animal-like and the other seemed to have human mixed within. Hmm.

_I believe playtime is over,_ Kyoko considered.

Slamming a hundred dollar bill on the black, marble counter and mumbling for the cute bartender to keep the change, Kyoko made her way out herself.

Whenever she went outside, Kyoko had a small hope she'd be able to see the sunrise she always enjoyed. She was disappointed tonight, though.

When the cool night air glided over her skin and entered her lungs, another scent came to Kyo's nose.

It was from above.

Letting her head tilt back slightly and not to be noticeable, Kyoko could see someone against the moon in a black cloak and spiked hair. The sounds of shoes hitting the roofs of the stores echoed in her ears, just as loud as the thumping hip-hop from the club's entrance.

The scent of Avon perfume came from the east. It was Lee's favorite perfume called…what was it…Faraway Paradise.

_Such a fitting name_, Kyoko thought.

The guys had been following her…why?

The seemed to be inhuman and not normal, did they work for Spirit World or Demon World? Were they employed by a demon?

Numerous thoughts entered Kyoko's head as she carefully followed her instincts, tracking the traces of energy in the air, the scents of the otherworld, the sound of voices, the light push of someone's telekinetic powers trying to enter her mind, the light poke of their energies that tried to sense her coming. They were such pathetic attempts at trying to sense her, she thought, such powers that needed to be trained properly in order to sense her coming.

Why were they chasing Lee?

It was most likely because of her. As far as Kyoko knew, Lee had not made any ties with demons unless someone had been following her for years. She had no trace of spiritual energy, nothing strange about her. She was completely mundane.

Kyoko had done some investigating of her own, Lee had lived a normal life and most likely would continue on her path once Kyoko disappeared from this place.

Kyoko was running, her sneakers soundless against the concrete even as she ran up the wall and started pushing off between the buildings instead of following by rooftop. She'd be visible by the raven-like man if she did.

The bracelet and necklace with her orange stones were pulsing with a small whisper in Kyoko's mind, now being activated to hide her scent – to make her nonexistent in this Human World.

But then again, there could have been another reason as to why they are following her.

They wanted a kill or some fun, or perhaps, Kyoko had given her location away to Spirit World. Last time she had, it was in the Chicago area. She damned herself for such stupid things, such dangerous things.

She made it to another alleyway between some abandoned buildings; Lee lived around here with her family. Jumping, Kyoko ran through a broken window, passing through the dusty offices and rooms of the abandoned hospital, and then jumped out of another window and onto an old coffee shop, looking down into the parking lot.

Lee was surrounded by the boys, her form shaking within her small red bug car. Kyoko could hear the light sounds of her screaming rock music.

Kyoko felt a shiver as someone's power rose with their emotions.

"She's not that damn bird! The device is wrong," the gel-haired man said, throwing his hands up in annoyance. "Koenma said that it would be in the area if not Chicago! We've been searching all over the United States, damn it!"

"Yusuke, calm down," said the long, crimson-haired man.

Oh, had they? Hmm.

So they _had_ been looking for her.

The night sky opened up as it started to rain, and now curious, Kyoko jumped from the roof of the shop to meet them on the ground.

Someone was coming. She moved as a sword came within inches of her throat. And when that missed, Kyoko felt the warm flutter of fire against her skin. The force of the attack made her fly into the concrete wall opposite the coffee shop. She bounced off, landing on the concrete without a sound from her lips.

"Who the hell are you?" the half human, annoyed guy bellowed, stomping towards her.

"She's dead. No use asking a corpse, fool," said the fire demon.

"Hiei!" the man, Kyoko figured to be Yusuke, shouted. So they didn't want to kill her. Hmm.

Jumping onto her feet, Kyoko glared at them all from under her wild hair.

The men stared at her, three gasped in what seemed to be surprise. The blast had been a fire attack and her shirt was burning away, along with her bra strap. Kyoko's hair covered her chest, she didn't really care.

Throughout history, a woman's body had been sculpted. A woman's body had been shown in heath books and shown in schools. A woman's body was a thing of beauty and not given any respect in the long run.

She didn't care if they saw her. She could just get another body one day. Or rather, she could feel that she'd be getting a new body very soon.

Even as it started to rain and they stood in silence, Lee's eyes glittering with tears and streaking down her face as the raindrops slid down the windows of her car, the fire demon's attack kept burning Kyoko's clothes to ashes.

The rain didn't put out the fire, but as the water touched her skin, it started to steam. Rolling her eyes, Kyoko captured the demon's fire in her hand and clenched it into a fist. The flames hissed a farewell as they died.

Kyoko kept steaming from the rain, letting her slightly long and rounded gold nails scratching an itch on her arm.

Looking down at herself, her bra was still intact, the pretty black satin against her skin.

The attack that was intended to damage her did not even leave any ash on her skin, no hole in her stomach – nothing. Kyoko could tell that was what the men had thought happened. The jewels Kyoko wore canceled all of her energies, they thought she had died. She seemed empty as a cadaver to them. The fire attack was stupid on their part.

She, after all, was born from fire. It continued to burn in her soul, under her skin, ablaze in her very being. The fires seemed to flicker and laugh at the demon's weak attempt, the flame being like a warm breeze compared to Kyoko's sacred blaze.

No flame could hurt her unless it was like her own.

Her name in this life is Kyoko….

…And she is a phoenix.

"The question is who the hell you are?" she asked. "Why are you following the human and why are you looking for me?"

"We've come to invite you to enter a tournament called The Flame Battles," said the one with long, crimson hair. He approached a few steps closer, trying to seem peaceful. "We need a fifth member and Koenma himself would like to ask you to consider joining us."

"After you were stalking my friend and slammed me into a building with a weak fire attack? Quite frankly, I don't think you could survive that tournament. Hopefully, you knew the attack would be ineffective."

A car's engine roared as Lee's small bug tore away from them. Kyoko could smell her fear from where she stood, a pain shot through her chest. Of course, because of what she was and always would be followed with…she was alone again.

Kyoko turned around, preparing what to take with her as she left this depressing city.

The short raven-like man was blocking her way.

"Leave me in peace, Fire Demon," Kyoko growled. "I've had enough of this."

His eyes narrowed. "Hn."

"Please reconsider!"

"All right, Animal! If I pretend to consider this, will you shut up?" Kyoko looked back at him and his partners. "You all just have screwed up this life I have been content with for the last five hundred years. In this city, I have lived for three – but looks as if it's over, I have things to prepare. As for Koenma, I could care less for the zoo keeper's son."

"She's supposed to be a phoenix, right? She doesn't look all that hot," whispered the orange haired man, the biggest one of them all.

And that's when she burst up in angry flames in front of their very eyes, teleporting to her apartment.

But not before Kyoko heard Yusuke shouting at the guy who made the remark. _Hmph, moron._

When Kyoko arrived in her dark apartment, she started throwing her clothes into a duffle bag right away. Leaving thousands of dollars on the counter and a quick note to the landlord, she picked the two filled bags and yanked them onto her shoulders. Under her coat, she stored her weapons which consisted of many knives and blades. The jewels she wore would hide her energy even more so, one even to turn her invisible.

Kyoko sighed, feeling the depression she dealt with every day. As for one who lived for so long, she couldn't help but feel like a wanderer that was doomed to just do what was expected of her.

Locking the door of her old home, she set out to erase the memories of her old life.

Kyoko made it to Lee's house. Lee's bedroom light was off.

Closing her eyes, Kyoko envisioned the bedroom in her mind, turning her body into smoke and slipping through the slightly opened window.

When she opened her eyes, Kyoko was whole again, staring into the face of a fearful Lee.

"Stay away from me!" Lee shouted, clutching her comforter as if it would shield her. "Freak! Monster!"

Kyoko's eyes narrowed slightly, but she smiled gently despite herself.

"I'm sorry," Kyoko apologized, bowing her head. "Don't worry, dear. I won't trouble you any longer."

Before Lee could move, Kyoko's hand was brushing her cheek like that of a child's. That was what Lee was like to her now: not a friend, not someone her own age, but just a child that needed peace.

Kyoko took the orange stone from her neck and pressed it to Lee's frozen-in-fear body.

"Goodbye, Lee," Kyoko whispered as Lee's eyes rolled back into her head.

Carefully tucking her and trying not to touch her directly, Kyoko made sure Lee was comfortable. The phoniex stood up and rested a book on Lee's nightstand.

It was Persuasion by Jane Austen.

_Always forgot to return it, _Kyoko thought, slightly cursing herself. _Funny how I must return it now when I leave._

After that, Kyoko visited the bartender and absorbed his memories of her into her sacred stone. She no longer truly existed anywhere now, she was just a passing breeze that everyone forgot or would soon be forgotten.

Sighing, she started walking towards the train station, purchasing a ticket when she made it there.

When she sat down, she tucked the hood of her coat around her face. She growled in her throat, seeing the four men sitting across from her and staring at her. Had they been there and she hadn't noticed?

Stupid mistakes on her part, she should not have been so careless.

She couldn't do any teleporting here, she didn't have the energy for it. Most of the energy she had used was to erase memories, which is quite difficult, and teleporting all over the place to handle things. Everything had drained her.

And she was just drained from wandering, from most of her existence.

She did, however, have enough energy to do _this._

She leaned her elbows on her knees, sitting in the most unattractive manner and stared hard at them all.

_Why are you following me, I gave you my answer,_ Kyoko said into their minds.

The orange haired man jerked in surprise at hearing her voice.

While Kyoko waited for them to recover, she looked into their heads. She was quite surprised when all four of them forced and locked her out. To her, it would have been chains locked and knotted around a door. One barrier she could easily undo, but it would take time. And after all, they had forced her out on their first meeting.

She was impressed.

But she had gotten their names and what they were.

_Yusuke Urameshi, a ma-zoku. Shuichi Minamino aka Kurama, a fox demon and part human. Hiei, a fire demon. Kazuma Kuwabara, a human. Did I hear correctly,_ Kyoko said again into their minds.

She couldn't read the information twined in their heads, but she could still talk to them.

_Yes,_ Kurama answered.

_You are an intriguing bunch, but you lack the training you need when you face someone of my status,_ Kyoko stated bluntly. _You're powerful, but power does not equal knowledge. _

_Then teach us if you know so damn much, Lady,_ Yusuke shouted in her head, leaning forward in his seat. His annoyed countenance made Kyoko giggle. _We have a tournament to train for, damn it!_

_The names…their names,_ Kyoko thought for a moment to herself, shielding them all from hearing her.

She had heard them before. That silly Dark Tournament, they were the champions. And they had saved her job when they defeated the loony who wanted to unleash the demons upon human world. The fool had been sick, as well.

Urameshi was an old spirit detective and a descendent of a deceased demon king, she had heard of him. Yusuke had also been a student of Genkai, the famous human psychic.

Kurama was also known as Youko Kurama, the King of Thieves and acquainted with Yomi, his second-in-command.

Hiei was a demon who possessed the Jagan and had summoned the Dragon of the Darkness Flame. Ah, she knew that dragon well enough. Hiei had also served Mukuro, the strange demon woman whom she pitied for her horrid story.

And Kazuma Kuwabara aka Kuwabara was a human capable of cutting through the kekkai barrier with his mighty sword. The best friend and partner of the spirit detective.

These men had experienced hardships of their own, Kyoko had heard most of them.

Ah yes, the phoenixes seemed to be intrigued with them as well. They enjoyed telling their stories, which is where Kyoko must have heard it from. The last gathering she had attended was last year.

Phoenixes were good storytellers, after all.

The men seemed to be heroes enough.

Kyoko sighed, knowing she should not involve herself within these matters. Again, well, if she ever did. She stood up and walked over, standing in front of Yusuke. Offering her hand, she introduced herself.

"I'm Kyoko. You can call me Kyo if I start to like you. But if Koenma tries to capture me again, I promise you, you'll be turned into chili and fed to sea serpents, understand?"

Kurama was looking at her with a strange expression, seeming to want to see through her. "What is your true name?"

Kyoko stared at the fox, her mouth agape. "How…how do you know of that?"

Kurama didn't answer, just stared and waited – it reminded Kyoko of Lee.

Kyoko sighed, turning her head away. "That's none of your business."

What she couldn't tell them, what was unlucky for them…was that she didn't remember.

"Earth to Kyoko," Yusuke said. "You can let go of my hand now."

"Oh," Kyoko said, quickly releasing him.

They all started walking to the exit, Kyoko giving her ticket to an old man who had been asking for money to buy one. The man was homeless and trying to get to his family, or so he said. Kyoko gave it to him without much question, earning many thanks from the man.

"So you really are the fire pigeon," Yusuke wondered as they made it outside, the sun just beginning to rise. "Huh."

"I'd really like it if you didn't call me a pigeon, Yusuke Urameshi. This pigeon could eat you for breakfast." Kyoko's stomach growled at the same time. _Perfect timing._

Kyoko looked to Kurama. "How do you know about true names, Fox?"

Kurama smiled. "I have my sources."

Kyoko raised a brow and reached into her bag, causing the boys to stop walking and stare at her. They had turned on their guard in a heartbeat, Kyoko was impressed yet again.

"I'm not going back on my word, fools." Kyoko took out a coke bottle filled with the dark liquid. Rum and coke would be good enough to buzz her for now.

"We have a drunk as a teammate," Hiei said, walking ahead of them all.

Kurama looked at her and raised a brow. "You really shouldn't drink in public, I'm sure it's illegal here."

"Bite me," Kyoko growled, twisting the cap.

Yusuke leaned closer. "Have some more to share?"

"No. And Kurama, you guide me to this Spirit World and then the tournament and I'll be sober enough to teach you what I can," Kyoko growled, taking a swig.

And plus, the booze could help numb the pain she felt coming from her approaching death. The pain ran up and down her spine, down her legs to her toes. Her head was pounding now as well. And as soon as the rest of her body was throbbing, she knew that she'd have to depart for a few days to go through the process.

_Great_, Kyoko growled in her head.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to know where the tournament is?" Kuwabara asked.

"Oh…right." Kyoko scratched the back of her head, but continued downing her drink.

"She oddly reminds me of Chu," Kurama considered.

Yusuke almost fell over. "We're doomed."


	5. Chapter Five: Spice

_**Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi and the companies that both have turned it into an anime and manga - not me. I do not own information about the mythological creatures in my story. I do, however, own the characters and any adaptations I have made myself – do not plagiarize, and if you do, enjoy not being creative or intelligent enough to make your own idea – you are a robot.**_

Chapter Five: Spice

The boys all knew they couldn't slow down, the tournament was coming closer each and every day. And since they knew it'd be difficult...

Oh, it would be difficult...

Suddenly, Kyoko dashed to a resting Kurama. Looking up, he stared into golden orbs that were locked on as she shot like a missile towards him. He leaped into the air to avoid her assault, she disappeared from sight, a red blur left behind. He shouted in surprise and pain as she hit him in the back, a blow as that felt as if a boulder had slammed between his shoulders. He crashed into the ground and rolled to absorb the impact, his nose scrunched in pain.

Kuwabara flinched. If Kurama was the prince that every girl wanted and drooled after his looks, Kuwabara could only imagine with fear what Kyoko could or would...do to him. Yeesh!

Kyoko landed on the ground, the balls of her feet catching her weight, only to spring towards Hiei. Hiei's eyes narrowed at the red rose in her hand, it had been stolen from Kurama. With a flick of her wrist, it turned into a red, blazing thorn whip. It lashed at him, and he avoided every move. His Jagan glowed on his forehead, tracking the fire bird's movements.

Hn, the fool was holding back.

The whip caught his ankle then, the thorns cutting into his skin. At the point, if Kyoko tried to kill him, she could right this moment. Amputating his foot, though, was not the worst he had endured in his years. Even though he could release himself from the female beast's whip, he could not retaliate the way he had wished he could have.

Hiei was thrown to the ground beside Kurama, growling at the defeat.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Lady?" Yusuke shouted at Kyoko, stomping towards her.

"You guys must be on guard at all times, even if you are training with me. My kind plays tricks in this at times, it's fun entertainment to mess with those who are not everlasting."

"You're insane," Kuwabara groaned. "Should we even go, Urameshi?"

"Looks like we're getting our butts kicked around by some broad," a female voice said, giggling.

Startled, everyone turned and focused on the woman figure in a long black cloak, her head obscured completely.

Kyoko sighed, knowing the scent. "Hello, Sinue."

The woman pulled the hood down, black fox ears poking out of her black hair. Sinue raked her silver painted nails through her locks, pushing the wavy strands from her pale forehead.

"Hey, Old Hag!" Sinue shouted, rushing towards Kyoko and embracing her.

"You know, you have to stop doing that." Kyoko didn't move to return the embrace, her arms limp at her sides.

"Hey, I'm like a ninja!" Sinue shouted, acting offended (though Kyoko knew she wasn't). Sinue stepped away from the pretty beast, scratching her blushing cheek.

"Hello, Sinue," Kurama greeted, smiling lightly as he pushed his bangs from his sweaty forehead.

The female fox demon turned towards Kurama, blinking in surprise. "Oh hey, Kurama!" Her brow furrowed, as if in deep thought. Then, as the memory she searched for filled her mind, her green eyes seemed to shine. "Oh, I have some more plants that you had asked for a while back. And damn, they took forever to find!"

"Thank you, your hard work and expertise is always greatly appreciated," he smiled.

"I see you both are acquainted?" Kyoko questioned. She reached down and picked up a water bottle, her eyes not on who she spoke to. Instead, she watched the water inside the plastic that swirled with her every movement.

Sinue stared hard at Kyoko. "Yeah, he's been a client of mine for many years."

Kyoko looked up at Kurama then. The old fox thief stared hard into the eyes of the phoenix, trying to understand what she was thinking.

"I see." Kyoko could get information from her, then, from Sinue.

Awkward silence passed over the group for a few minutes. Yusuke coughed to try and attempted to break it. "So, could you pass the damn water before I pass out?"

Yusuke shouted in surprise when a bottle of frozen water nearly hit him in the head. The ice bottle crashed into the wall, then fell, rolling on the ground towards Kuwabara.

Storming over to get it, Yusuke snatched it up with a growl.

"What the hell was that for," he shouted. "And this shit is frozen wa-huh?"

Kyoko's eyes seemed to burn as the bottle in Yusuke's hand started to heat up. The water was cool, but not nearly as cold as before. Now it was the liquid that Yusuke had desired, no longer undrinkable ice, ice melted in seconds.

Mundane ice, Kyoko thought as she smirked at Yusuke.

"Uh…thanks?" Yusuke started draining the bottle immediately. Growling in his head, he wished he could punch the bitch in the face at least once. That Kyoko would leave with at least a small bruise across her cheek, hell, even a scratch. Great, he sounded like a woman beater.

"Want to hit me, huh, Yusuke?" Kyoko said in a strange voice.

Yusuke stopped drinking, keeping his mouth on the bottle. "Well, of course, I do. You're a bitch," he mumbled.

"Yusuke," Kurama warned, although, the old thief in him agreed.

"I'm not here to babysit; I'm doing you a favor. And you really do need to hit me if you want to survive this tournament."

"Kyoko," Sinue sighed.

Kyoko looked to Sinue, the merchant fox gave the phoenix a knowing look.

You're lonely so you're being mean to them, time to stop being anti-social, Old Hag. Sinue's thoughts shot towards Kyoko, knowing the phoenix could hear them.

Kyoko's eyes flinched as she exchanged a message to Sinue with her cold eyes.

"I'm leaving, you all did better than I thought you would. Good job. But even so, I will fight the dragons and phoenixes, you just worry about the other players. Got it? See ya." Kyoko waved as she left, turning to the door.

"Hey, we're not done yet!"

"Yes, we are."

"Wait!" Sinue shouted, rushing towards Kyoko and grasping the phoenix's wrist. "I want you to meet someone," she grinned.

Kyoko halted her steps, curiosity seizing her.

"Hey, you can come out now, Sis!" SInue shouted towards the door.

A delicate, pale hand brushed the door frame as a girl, not yet twenty one, walked quietly inside. Her hair brushed her lower back, a snowy white, which made the bright red of the inside of her snowy fox ears deepen in color. Her clothes were that of a priestess's kimono, a fluffy white fox tail swishing behind her with every step. Her eyes matched her sister's, a dazzling green, although hers had a yellow tiny to them.

"Um, hello," a light voice sounded from the white fox. "A pleasure to meet you all," she smiled, bowing towards everyone. "Oh, you must be Kyoko?" her eyes looked curiously to the phoenix as she approached her, keeping a few feet between them.

"My sister has spoken well of you," the arctic-like fox smiled.

Kyoko bowed towards the girl in respect for her friend's relatives. Although, Kyoko saw the girl was a weakling, too fragile, for combat of any sort.

"My name is Miyuki, it's truly a pleasure." Miyuki smiled, her pale cheeks blooming roses.

Kyoko studied her. She was very pretty, very delicate as if she could break at any moment. Not suitable for combat and too young to be full of wisdom. Sinue, on the other hand, was very intelligent and very handy when it came to things that Kyoko did not know herself.

Miyuki turned to Kurama. "I've heard of you as well, I've also helped with some of your orders."

"I did not know Sinue had a sister," Kurama smiled and approached the girl. "It is nice to meet you as well. Thank you for handling my requests with care."

"That dumb snowball actually found the plant you wanted last, Stupid Polar."

"Shut up, Dumb Bat!" Miyuki blushed and shouted at her sister.

"Make me!"

"Just wait until we get back to the wood…I promise, I'll kick your ass to next Sunday."

"What a lame comeback!"

"…And I am Kyoko, likewise. Although, I must be going now." Kyoko felt uncomfortable, awkward when it came to family disputes.

"Oh, sorry! It was nice meeting you finally, Kyoko. Be safe, all right?" Miyuki smiled and waved, snapping out of her sisterly rage.

Kyoko wanted to laugh, but instead, to spare Miyuki the hurt (as she could tell the girl was also sensitive), she just walked out of the room.

"What in the hell is her deal?" Yusuke grumbled, walking closer to fox trio.

"Kyoko is a bit rough around the edges, but she means well," Sinue smiled as she answered. "You'll know soon enough. I'm kind of hoping she gets her ass kicked."

The group stared at her, along with her younger sister.

"Sinue, why would you say such a thing?" Miyuki glared.

"Because she needs to lose, everyone does at times so they can appreciate things."

"But…she can die!" Miyuki panicked. "Don't wish that on anyone!"

The boys stared at Miyuki, finding her gentle demeanor akin to Yukina's.

"Kyoko is a phoenix, she can't die. She'll just turn to ash and come back again."

"Have you seen it happen?" Kuwabara asked, curious.

Yusuke snickered at him. "Nerd."

"What? I took a class that went into mythology!"

"Hn. The buffoon took a human class on demons."

"Shut up before I bleach your hair blond and then you'll be like that midget ninja on television!"

Hiei smirked. "Try it, and you're dead."

Kuwabara shivered at the visions Hiei implanted into his brain, of the small fire demon dismembering his body and feeding it to the lower demons of Demon World.

"In answer to your question," Sinue began, not knowing if Kuwabara was listening, "I haven't seen her burn up and be reborn, I just know that's what happens."

"Anything else you know?" Kurama questioned. "That is, if it would not be trouble to tell us."

"I don't know too much, I've only known Kyoko as she is—in this life. I just know what's happened so far. And well, what else she remembers."

"What do you mean?" Yusuke asked.

"You should ask her, not me. I'm not going to tell anyone else's business. And I'm not losing a valuable client!"

"Then, would you happen to know anything about the tournament?" Kurama questioned.

"The one you boys are signed up for?"

The males nodded.

"Only that most non-beasts die within the first few rounds? Or are close to it?" Sinue sweat-dropped as she explained. "Don't mean to discourage, I hope you boys don't. You all lost already—only Kyoko needs to."

"And you." Miyuki smiled, one of her small fangs pressing into her lip with though she wore a gentle smile.

"Not really, but we'll see."

"That we shall, most definitely."

"Where's Kyoko?" Yusuke growled. "Come out, you old bitch! I'm not done making you bleed!"

"She's gone, Urameshi! Pipe down," Kuwabara yelled at his best friend. He sighed, his chin brushing his chest. "I can't sense her anywhere."

"Or maybe she's masked her energy, fool."

Sinue sniffed the air, closing her eyes. After a moment, she snickered and stared at them. "Nope, she's gone all right. Probably to get a drink."

"Why does the smart-ass have to be an alcoholic?" Yusuke grumbled, walking to the bleachers.

"Because remember when I said I didn't see her combust?" Sinue sighed.

"Yeah?"

"Well, we're going to. The tournament starts with the old lives of each phoenix ending—but not by choice. Think of induced labor, or walking out into the sun when your body is fully covered with sun block. They force the phoenix and dragon members of each team to go through it."

"That's just fucking sick!"

"Yusuke, language." Kurama scolded. "Although I can agree with you, cursing at Sinue is hardly going to do anything."

"Not like I care about the bitch, but…that's just sick shit!"

"It is, but Kyoko's time was coming soon anyway. But when she accepted the invitation—it's a secret password, you could say." Sinue sighed, reaching into her pocket. "My sister and I have to go, but here."

Sinue held out a pile of leaves. Dead leaves from autumn, tinted with reds and oranges.

"Eat these. And don't mind the spice."

"What do they do?" Kurama questioned, picking one of her the tiny hand and studying it.

"Let's just say they're to ward off dragons and phoenix spirits from reading your thoughts. Hence, the spice. They'll last for a year so pesky birds and lizards can't hear what pornography goes on in your filthy male minds."

"Very funny." Yusuke then placed the leaf he received on his tongue, uncaring. Whatever spice was in it, he could handle.

That's what he thought, along with the others, until their tongues felt as if they'd burned their taste buds permanently.


	6. Chapter Six: Gate

_**Chapter Six: Gate**_

In blurs of blood and sweat, time had quickly passed into nothing. The funny thing about time is that it passes quickly or slowly within the most negative of emotional breakdowns. When time is not abundant, it involves stresses or anxiety—rarely is it in good fun. When time passes over, as slow as the passing seasons, it happens when there is no purpose—just sadness and loss. And yet humans continue on, counting the days as they pass in hope that life may transform from a weed to a rose. Expect the worst and hope for the best.

Kyoko's life was a mix of these breeds of time. She could remember the first touch of life in Kyoko's body, the dirt and dried blood that stained her soft, fresh fingernails and toenails. When she reached to move the soft yet wild waves of her hair, she felt ash slowly sliding off the silk of her hair. She remembered looked down at her pale body, not know what she was, where she was, what she was—who she was. She looked down at her body again, understanding she was female. She stirred, pushing herself to her knees but falling back down again. That is when she felt the wings on her back, covered in dirt, blood, and burning embers. And then, she remembered her cries and screams into the night. Her fear and want for someone to help her through the agony. But what that agony was? No one remembers their human or demon birth for this reason—it is the transition from a safe world into a cruel one. And at least the new babes do not feel death still lingering in their bones, helping rebuild their form. Her screams could be such as theirs—from newborn babes coming from the Spirit World to less merciful ones.

Kyoko couldn't remember how long she had cried that night, only that the twilight had come when the agony had left her. The pain was gone as if swooped up by the wind. Or maybe she had become as cold as the stone beneath her.

Kyoko stared into the mirror of her hotel room, packing her hairbrushes and books. Hundreds of years had passed since then, but she could still feel the rock beneath her chest, her hands, and her knees. The cold stone was the only embrace she could have at the time, but she still cried for something else.

The phoenix finished packing her bags and took one last look around the home she had known for a small time. Then, she let the flames take her to her new team. She had more hope for them now then she had before.

Yusuke was there early with Kurama, discussing the tactics and information that had been gathered.

"What have you found, Kurama? Anything good?"

"Well, just that most of the dragons and phoenixes have accepted their invitations. One thing, however, troubles me."

Yusuke raised a brow in question.

"Given the fact that all of them are there, it means that these are the only ones left. And from what I have heard, they are the elite."

"And Kyoko?" Yusuke had come to tolerate the woman. "She looks pretty lively to me."

"Not quite." Kurama closed his eyes. "I've noticed a limp in her step. The rebirth is part of the battle. It is a retelling of the birth and war of the beasts. The true story, however, I couldn't find too much about it. It isn't about the jailbreak from Spirit World, but of something else."

"What could it be?"

The two paused to consider.

"Maybe…about sex?"

Kurama sweatdropped. "Is that all you are thinking of lately, Yusuke?"

"Hey, can you blame me? I have a lot to catch up on with Kayko."

"This is not something I'd like to discuss."

"How about Maya?"

Kurama flinched. "How did you learn of her?"

"Hiei told me a while ago what happened with her—it was when you two first met, right? Hiei was looking for his sister."

"Yes…"

"Do you regret it, Fox Boy?"

"I do not regret making her safe, no. But she is in my past life, this is the present that I must focus on. And so do you. And Hiei, you can come out now."

Hiei walked out of the alley, joining them next to the dock where the portal would be opened. Without a word, he leaned against one of the poles.

"Nice to see you, too, Hiei," Yusuke eyed the fire demon as he spoke.

The three stood in silence, the glass was shattered once Kuwabara made it to the group.

An hour had passed, the clock striking 3AM in Japan. And right on time for the portal to appear, Kyoko's flames appeared next to the group. She stepped out with her bags, their size too large for her small, deteriorating body. The boys could see the veins in her neck, her hands, and the small veins around her eyes. It startled them, they were visible even in the night.

"What the hell happened to you?" Yusuke demanded.

"Yeah, you look like you haven't slept for days!" Kuwabara chimed in.

"My body is preparing itself," Kyoko explained tiredly, struggling to hold up her bags.

Kurama quickly grabbed one bag from her while Kuwabara went for the other. As the weight was lifted off of her, she couldn't help but thank the boys.

"Wow, she thanks us!"

"A once in a lifetime deal," she responded to the half demon. She almost smiled.

She didn't have the time to take a bottle of rum with her, but she was able to down some of the medicine that Sinue had given her for the pain.

"So…it is five minutes after. Where's the portal?" Kuwabara asked, impatient.

"I'm the portal," Kyoko meekly answered. The boys looked at her strangely.

Once Kyoko had pulled out a dagger from the bag Kurama was holding, she slid the sharpened blade across her left hand and then did it again on the same hand. Once satisfied with the X on her palm, the boys almost shouted when she tossed the blade in the air and it came straight through her left hand.

Even Hiei winced at the performance, watching as the wound started to close around the blade and blood dripped down into the sea under the pier.

The ocean started to boil as a white light shot from the ocean. The boys shielded their eyes from the brilliance, save for Kyoko who stood there unflinching. Words whispered from her lips, the white light took the shape of a golden door.

The boys looked up at the form, and gasped at the pure gold that seemed to sparkle like a thousand stars within every sparkle. Even with demon eyes, tears started to form in their eyes from gazing at it for too long. Their eyes all traced the form of wings embedded on the door.

Kyoko stepped closer, dripping the handle as the gold burned into her skin. It did not hurt, but it was not pleasant as she pushed it to open. She stepped in first, testing the portal. As she walked in, she could feel the mountain air of her home.

"Step through, it's safe," she called.

Once by one, the boys carefully walked through the portal and into the blackness. Behind them, the door noisily shut behind them. That is when the scenery came into existence.

Everything started to take shape: The purple and orange sky, the dark blue clouds, the life living under their feet in the form of grass and white flowers. The energy in the things around them was almost tangible.

"Welcome to my world," Kyoko muttered.

"And welcome Team Urameshi to The Flame Battles," said a man clad in a blue suit that appeared out of thin air. "And welcome, Phoenix."


End file.
